[greymule]

"Zero tolerance" might sound good to some people, but it has been interpreted in truly insane ways around the country. A teacher at an elementary school here in New Jersey tells me that her school's "zero tolerance" policy concerning violence covers second-graders who point fingers and yell, "Bang!" with their friends on the playground. These kids are then assigned to mandatory "violence prevention" programs, and for several days have to take special buses to another location for indoctrination.

If you think this is some kind of aberration, look again. We've also all heard about the seventh-grader who gives her friend an aspirin and is banished to the program for drug dealers.

In sports, "zero tolerance" should apply to behavior that's out of line, but somebody with brains has to make a judgment as to what falls under that umbrella. Frankly, if nobody could gripe, umpiring wouldn't be as much fun.